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Show B7 LIFE Indoor 5K benefiting Habitat house By DEVEN LEIGH ELLIS Asst. Life Editor ' AFRICAN BEAUTIES SHOWCASE CULTURE IN PAGEANT JEFF JACOBSEN/UVUREVIEW Participants practice their pageant introductions Saturday, Feb. 11 in a UVU dance studio. Africa, meet Utah: Second annual pageant at UVU By DEVEN LEIGH ELLIS Asst. Life Editor African culture is coming to Utah Valley on Saturday, Feb. 25 in the form of the second annual Miss Africa Utah pageant. Founded by senior Journalism major Gloria Kajo, the pageant will feature eight young women representing various African countries with traditional dress, talents and platforms for improving local society. Kajo, 27, carried a love of pageants from her native Nigeria, where she once participated in a fashion show. "I loved everything about being beautiful," Kajo said. When she found that African women were underrepresented in the 2010 Miss BANQUET FROM B5 because this problem, she argued, "crosses gender, racial and ethnic lines." Cornia's passion for her work showed when her voice shook with emotion as she talked about a young woman waiting for help in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) office, feeding her daughter a bottle with ketchup-laced water to avoid malnutrition. And that wasn't the only time emotion filled the hall during Thursday's event. Keira Scholz was the second and final speaker of the evening, conveying a message of gratitude for the assistance she has received throughout her life from gov- United Nations pageant in Orem, Kajo, president of UVU's African Club, took it as a call to action and created the first Miss Africa Utah pageant at the Club's annual African Culture Night. With attendance of over 500 and coverage by The Salt Lake Tribune, Kajo decided to give the pageant solo time in the spotlight. They're doing it because they love their culture. -Gloria Kajo "This year, we separated [the two] so we can concentrate more onthegirls and show- ernment assistance programs. Scholz read from her letter, "Dear American Taxpayers," and when she had to pause to avoid being overcome with emotion, the audience fell silent, riveted on the speaker waiting for her to continue. The audience erupted into applause after Scholz spoke of how government assistance has affected her life. "I'm here today as living proof that your efforts do matter and that your aid works the way that it should," Sholz said, "and I'm very grateful that it did and I'm here today." After the moving speeches, the intensity and emotion that held the crowd was quickly CRASH COURSE case their culture,"Kajo said. The pageant has attracted participants from the University of Utah, Utah State University, Salt Lake Community College and BYU, in addition to UVU. Pageant rules stipulate that participants must be between 18 and 30 years of age and a third-generation African at most, although many of the women are first-generation Africans. While scholarship money is sure to be a significant draw for participants, Kajo, who has been conducting rehearsals the past several weekends with advisor Nilufar Sherzod, current Miss Asia Utah and former Miss United Nations USA, insists the women are devoting their time for more than just financial reasons. "They're doing it because they love their culture," Kajo said. Umeaia Onwo, a 20-yearold BYU student majoring in I'm here today as living proof that your efforts do matter and that your aid works the way that it should.,, -Keira Scholz UVU SENIOR PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR AND HUNGER BANQUET KEYNOTE SPEAKER pre-medicine, is very excited to be in the pageant this year after witnessing its inception a year ago. Onwo plans to sing for her talent and advocate saving the children as her platform because, she says, "they're our future." The pageant will begin at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 in the Ragan Theatre and will offer desserts and a chance to meet the contestants after the event. Tickets are available at Campus Connection or online at gkfolks.com and are $10 for students and $12 for nonstudents. offer both a stair and nonstair route. Volunteer & ServiceLearning Center Director Alexis Palmer expects a mix of students and community members at the 5K, citing it as a fun family function as well as a way for UVU to engage local neighborhoods. "We like to see more community partners [participate] because it's a great way to showcase our campus," Palmer said. Saturday-morning students beware - the vast, interconnected hallways of UVU will be transformed into a 3.1-mile track on Feb. 25. The fourth annual No Snow Indoor 5K will commence at Center Stage in the Sorensen Center at 9 a.m., opening the campus' corridors to more than 100 anticipated participants. UVU Vice President for University Relations Val Hale, an avid runner, devised the event in 2009 in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity of Utah County. A Christian organization which, according to its website, provides "a hand up, not a hand-Alexis Palmer out" to people unable to afford a home, Habitat relies on After the run/walk, Jamba donations to fund its projects. UVU's Volunteer & Service- Juice will be on-hand doLearning Center subsidizes nating oatmeal along with the event, freeing all the pro- UVU's Outdoor Adventure ceeds from ticket sales to the Center, which will be cookevent to go toward Habitat's ing pancakes for the fatigued current project: building a joggers. Each participant will house for the Ashby family also receive a free t-shirt and an entry into a prize raffle. in Orem. UVU attempts to curb Participants may purchase tickets at Campus Connec- the number of participants tion or online at habitatuc. around 150 to avoid tramorg for $10, or at 8 a.m. the pling unsuspecting students, day of the run/walk for $15. so register soon to ensure a The 5K will begin at 9 a.m. place in the upcoming event. from Center Stage and will It's a great way to showcase our campus.,, FOR MORE NFORMATION ABOUT THE PAGEANT visit Kajo's website gkfolks.com broken by the upbeat Samoan music, accompanied by the high-pitched yelps of the Cultural Envoy's dancers. The message, after all, was meant to be of motivation instead of melancholy, as co-host Krystal Rasmussen, President of the Service Council commented. "This year we want [the audience] to leave feeling motivated like they can make a difference instead of just being depressed," Rasmussen said. "We want them to feel inspired. We all can make a difference." VISIT RIR UVU.EDU/VOLUNTEER Participants will run through 3.1 miles of UVU's hallways to benefit Habitat CONNOR ALLEII/UVUREVIBV BY OLOGY HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TEXT MY PARENTS THAT I NEED ONE CLASS THAT GETS ME THROUGH ALL OF MY MATH AND HAS A SWEET! NOW HOW DO I GET THEM TO PAY MY RENT? PASS-OR-DON'T-PAY GUARANTEE? IT'LL TAKE FOREVER TO TEXT! olo o 0 FINISH ALL YOUR MATH IN JUST ONE SEMESTER! OLOGYUTAH.COM I Ology is a private company 801-404-5209 |